Life, 1917-05-03 · page 3 of 42
Life — May 3, 1917 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents a poem celebrating Édouard Michelin's invention of pneumatic (air-filled) tires around 1895. The narrative humorously depicts initial skepticism—men laughed at the idea, questioning whether rubber and air could replace hard tires or improve automobile speed. The accompanying cartoon shows the famous **Michelin Man** (Bibendum), the mascot character made of stacked tire rings, presenting a small early automobile to a skeptical onlooker. The giant figure embodies the tire company's growth into "six or seven great lands." The satire mocks conservative resistance to innovation: people doubted Michelin would succeed until he personally proved the concept worked. By publication, Michelin tires dominated the market—the poem's moral being that revolutionary ideas eventually vindicate themselves despite initial mockery.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Listen, my children, and you shall hear How pneumatic tires came to appear, Back in the year of ninety-five, Before you or I had learned to drive. Twas over in beautiful, picturesque France (In a setting most fitting for such a romance), That the wonderful idea suddenly came To Edouard Michelin (great is his fame), That rubber and cloth could be made into tires, To develop the speed that the auto requires. For using hard tires had kept down the speed, So Michelin said: “I’ve solved it! Give heed!” xe ee User?” But men only laughed and then they looked sad, Spek fe cata ot ie Thre book And tapping their heads said, “Surely he’s mad: Sere ner seus titres, tebe of For driving a car on rubber and air s Sent Sree, on a - e no obligation of any kind. Is asking the air to do more than its share.” 7 ee And despite all his pleas they refused to give aid MICHELIN TIRE CO. By putting the tires that Michelin made Milltown, New Jersey On any machines then crawling around With iron-bound wheels that bumped o’er the ground. But still undismayed he stuck to the fight, And, of course, in the end he proved he was right, For he built a small car at his own expense, And tried out his tires—success was immense. And now in six or seven great lands, As many great mills and thousands of hands Are busily building Michelin Tires To meet the demands of satisfied buyers. *- * ¢+ © € * So there, my children, my tale is told. And to-day, when tires are everywhere sold, . The tire that once was the only tire Is still the ideal to which men aspire.